Birds of a Feather
by Tigerlily
Summary: Post DMC. A strange midnight encounter helps Elizabeth ease her guilt about her final encounter with Jack. JackElizabeth oneshot


_Birds of a Feather_

Tigerlily

A/N: A oneshot from an idea I couldn't get out of my head once I saw the movie. Didn't spend too much time on it… but I hope you guys are entertained. I could expand if you want. My first POTC fic.

**I**

She just didn't know anymore.

Elizabeth rolled over on the small bed she occupied aboard the _Diving Gull_, trying to clear her head so he could get the sleep that had been eluding her for hours.

Will had offered to share his larger room, and its larger bed, with her… but she had declined. He'd assumed it was due to modesty, so he didn't press her about it. He didn't realize that she couldn't decide if she still wanted to be with him, let alone bed with him.

She closed her eyes, and the image of Jack flew unbidden into her mind; the look in her eyes as she'd walked away from him.

She'd left him there… chained to the mast.

"_I killed him." _she thought quietly to herself.

She'd reasoned with herself a hundred times over. She'd done the right thing. She'd done it to save the rest of them; to save herself, and Will. Her _fiancée_! Jack only would've sold them out…betrayed them all.

But she'd always been rubbish at lying.

The only fact that remained was that she's killed him. Killed the man who made her feel so… the man she'd never gotten the chance to love.

The prospect of Will's bed seemed even more distasteful now.

But had there been anything there? Had Jack really… how could she ever know if he'd had any _real _feelings for her. How could she know if she was any different from the countless other nameless women Jack had undoubtedly been involved with during his career?

She never would.

Because she'd killed him.

She bit her lip, feeling a tear slide down her face. She let it go. Will wasn't here. There was no reason to hide now.

She heard a small creak nearby, but she didn't look up. They were on a ship after all…

"Now, there's no reason to muddy up a pretty face like that with crying."

She sat up immediately, looking about the room. She knew that voice.

"Jack?"

Another creak, she saw his shadow cross her floor. She turned slowly, and then she saw him; leaning on the wall, his familiar smirk playing across his face.

" 'Allo, Lizzy."

She got out of bed and took a step towards him, letting out a sound halfway between a laugh and a sob.

"It… it can't be." She reached out and touched him hesitantly. His coat was damp under her fingers. "I killed you."

He shrugged. "I wouldn't go that far." he said cryptically.

Her palm lay flat; she could feel his heart beating.

"You're not… you're not dead?"

He bit his lip. "I wouldn't go that far either…"

She removed her hand quickly. "So I... I-"

"-Did nothing I wasn't planning on doing myself, love."

She sat back on the bed. "I don't understand."

"The _Pearl_ was my life, savvy?" he said. "Made a bargain with that blasted Davy Jones for it. I'd rather go down with it then be turned into some scuttling sea critter for a hundred years." He crouched down, his eyes looked up into her own. "And I'd rather go face that beastie on me own then have it go after you."

She smiled a bit at that.

"But what happened to you?" she asked. "If you're not dead… are you just a dream?"

"Can't say love, not part of the accord."

"Accord? Jack, who-?"

"Jones." he said, getting to his feet.

"What?" She stood up as well. "You didn't agree to-"  
"-I can't say, Lizzy." he sad again. "But I had something to give you, and…" his voice trailed off.

"And what?" she was closer to him now.

He flashed a grin at her.

"I wasn't entirely certain there was nothing but business behind that little goodbye kiss of yours."

She laughed a little, but then her face fell again. "What does it matter?" You're gone now… and its not as though you ever had any real feelings for me anyway…"  
He took a few steps to her, effectively eradicating the distance between them. "I'm here now, aren't I?" he asked. "And as for that last bit…" he pulled out his compass and flipped it open. "Take a look at that,"

She leaned over the small object and saw, with a feeling of shock, that it no longer spun and moved uncertainly. It pointed, with an unwavering clearness, to her.

She gasped a little and met his eyes.

"Really?" she felt childish for asking, but she couldn't help herself.

He smiled. "Compass doesn't lie love."

She returned the smile. "So…"  
He then closed the remaining distance between them and kissed her, firmly and slowly on the lips. She made a quiet, content noise, and her hands rested on his chest. His went around her waist and remained there after the kiss had finished.

"I'm sorry." she said quietly. She hid her face against his shirt, suddenly unable to face him. His shirt was also damp, and the smell of seawater clung to him.

"Don't be dearie." he said. "I know why you did it. Why you… said what you did." He paused for a moment, before saying nonchalantly. "Your William is safe now… is he not?"

She nodded. Yes, Will. Good and handsome and sweet William who'd never done anything to her. Who's only fault was the sense of mediocrity she felt when they were together.

It wasn't bad. It was just…fine. The way things were supposed to be: normal, certain and very predictable.

And she was beginning to find that she couldn't stand it.

"I don't know what to do." she said quietly. "About Will I mean…"

"Why… does something need to be done?" She could hear the smile in his voice.

"Because that damned compass hasn't pointed to him for a long while." she said, raising her head to meet his eyes. "Because I think I'm beginning to fall in love with you, Captain Sparrow."

"There's no _thinking_, love. You're madly in love with me." He grinned down at her. "Or at least you better be… or I'd feel pretty damn foolish right now."

She laughed and leaned up for another kiss. She smiled against his mouth when she felt his beard tickle her face. He pulled back, running a slightly dirty finger down her cheek.

"Wish I'd done that the second I saw you again." He said, his voice a little softer.

"I probably would've hit you." She said. "Or Will would've stabbed you."

He looked affronted. "You think that _dear_ William can best _me_ with a blade?"

She laughed. Men and their pride… "Of course not," she put her head on his chest. "Silly of me to say." They stood like that for a moment, and then Elizabeth voiced the question that now was filling her mind. "What do I tell him?" she asked quietly. "What …what happens now?"

"Just see that he doesn't lay a finger on you till I get myself out of this mess or I _will_ make him a bloody eunuch!" he growled.

She laughed a little at this, and raised her head to meet his eyes.

"How is it?" she asked quietly. "Where you are, I mean."

"Bit damp, " he shrugged. "Nothing I can't handle."

She touched his cheek. "We're coming for you." she said quietly.

Jack grinned. "Then I shall wait for you to come fetch me." He reached into his pocket and took out a small squarish object that he put into her hand. "This should speed things up."

She turned the object over in her hand. It was his compass.

She bit her lip. "No, Jack.. I can't-"

"-Keep it safe for me Lizzy." he said. "It'll help you find me. That is…" he glanced down and smiled when he saw the compass pointed straight at him.

She looked up at him. "I meant what I said… before the _Pearl_ went down."

"About you not regretting what you did. I know."

"No," she said quickly. He raised his eyebrows. "About you being a good man."

His smile was smirk-free now, and he touched her face. "Been called a lot of things in my day." he murmured. A pained expression flew across his features briefly. "I have to go now."

She grasped the hand that still rested on her cheek. "No," she said. "It's too soon." She felt a few tears slip down her cheek.

"Now, none of that love." he said quietly. He touched his forehead to hers. "Just get on with the rescuin'. Come fetch me in a blaze of glory and…well, you get the idea."

She clutched at his shirt. "I swear I will find you." she whispered fiercely.

"I have complete confidence that you will, love." Another wave of pain crossed his face. "But I have to go. Time to say goodbye."

She met his eyes. "Will I see you again?" Her voice was small now that the time of parting was upon them.

He laughed. "Course you will." He kissed her forehead. "Birds of a feather and all that. It's destiny."

She kissed him quickly. "I love you."

He let go of her cheek. "Love you too Lizzy."

She clung to him, and they shared a long lingering kiss. When she opened her eyes, he was gone.

**II**

She woke the next morning with the compass clutched tightly in her hand. Her face could still feel the scratch of his beard.

She dressed quickly and made her way to Barbossa, who stood at the wheel on the top deck.

"Barbossa," she said coolly. She would only call one man 'Captain'. He turned and she showed him the compass. "I have our bearings."

As Barbossa examined the compass, she heard footsteps and looked up.

Will stood behind her. He glanced at the compass, which she knew he recognized, and then at her. She could see the question in his eyes. The one that'd been there since he saw her farewell kiss to Jack,

She looked at him for a long moment before turning her eyes back to Barbossa.

She knew one day, probably soon, Will would ask her about that day and that she would have to be honest and square with him. But today wasn't that day,

Finding Jack was the most important thing now, and everything else could just wait.


End file.
